Johanna Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Trying to keep my 10 yo son off the computer (he is obsessed with Mindcraft) and I want him to develop other interests. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 We went to the river every morning for swimming lessons and playtime, climbed trees, read books, legos, bikes, only 15 minutes of computer a day at that age. And some math ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 summer hockey league, figure skating, dryland training, swimming time, violin lessons, piano lessons, school work (we school year round) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 :bigear: My 11 year old is obsessed with minecraft. But also with Khan Academy, youtube, scratch, etc etc etc. We usually go to light to no school work in the summer but he's going to drive me nuts if I don't have something to point him towards. He's also needing more social (I have him signed up for a ton of stuff out of the house too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Right now my 11 year old is waterskiing and tubing with friends on a lake. We go swimming several times a week, go on lots of field trips, hike in the mountains, lots of physical things that wear him out. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo_Babee Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 (edited) Structure is the only way I can keep my DS9 and DS 7.5 busy with things other than video games and tv during the summer. Here's our schedule: 8 am - 12 noon is class time 12 noon - 1 pm is lunch/”recess” 1 pm - 5 pm is field trips (Monday = Movie Day) (Tuesday = Two-a-day Bowling) (Wednesday = Wet & Wild) (Thur. = Theme i.e. Museums, Nature Walk, etc.) (Friday = Free Day, whatever they come up with) 6 pm - 7 pm: Dinner 7 pm - 8 pm: Showers, Snacks, Chores, Family Reading 8 pm - 9 pm: Free Time 9 pm: RELAX (They don't have a ”bedtime” during the summer but at this point they can pop in a movie as they lay down it talk quietly amongst themselves but they're normally asleep by 9:30 pm) ETA: We are not rich by any means. Movie day is $1 at our nearest movie theatre... My community offers ” Kids Bowl Free” where they get two free games of bowling everyday, all summer long, and everything else is free except the things that they may come up with on Fridays (Amusement Parks, Laser Tag, Zoo, etc.) Edited June 2, 2012 by Mo_Babee Add Info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbmom Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Swimming, hiking, rock climbing, tennis, the trampoline place (where the walls and floors are all trampolines,) open gym at the gymnastics place (trampolines and foam pit,) geocaching, mini golf/slick track (and the arcade,) batting cages, camps, movies, water parks, amusement parks, baseball games, science and tech museums, ride bikes to the store and bring back fixings for pizza, ice cream sundaes, root beer floats or s'mores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cortana Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 We continue school through the summer but in addition to that: camping (as a family and our 10yo goes to district Royal Rangers camp for a week), swimming, hiking, going to the park, going to the library, summer reading programs, summer programs through parks & rec department, free movies at the theater, activities at the library, Legos, playing with their friends, riding bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 We'll continue with piano and gymnastics and take up swimming lessons, but that still doesn't take up even most of every day. I have this problem too, and it's compounded by the fact that I'm having pretty bad morning sickness. All my kids are getting a lot of screen time at the moment, but I'm hoping we can break out of it in a few weeks when I'm feeling better. It doesn't help that DH loves the computer too, so when he's home all DS wants to do is play the computer WITH DH. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanna Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 We'll continue with piano and gymnastics and take up swimming lessons, but that still doesn't take up even most of every day. I have this problem too, and it's compounded by the fact that I'm having pretty bad morning sickness. All my kids are getting a lot of screen time at the moment, but I'm hoping we can break out of it in a few weeks when I'm feeling better. It doesn't help that DH loves the computer too, so when he's home all DS wants to do is play the computer WITH DH. . . I feel your pain....we have a toddler who is newly adopted and recovering from surgery of her cleft lip/palate...so, we gotta stick around the home for now. I guess I need more "around the home" suggestions! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey Mom Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Monday thru Friday: Summer camp. Found a church summer camp that takes elementary aged kids on field trips every day. The field trips consist of: library, ice rink, pool, parks, fire station, police department, etc. Wednesday evening: travel hockey practice Friday evening: rec hockey practice Saturday afternoon: travel hockey practice Sunday afternoon: rec hockey games When they're not at the rink, they are usually outside playing, swimming in the pool, or playing legos. Video games are Saturday mornings only, with Dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Legos, playing outside (we just got a slide), he's been building stuff with wood, we've made several fires for marshmellow roasting, lately we've been doing more with horses since he's joined 4-H. He likes World of Warcraft (DH & I have accounts they play on) and Mythbusters but he can't have screentime unless his work (any schooling, toys put away, room clean, etc.) is done. He is also limited to 30 min. on most days (there are exceptions, and they get more time on weekends). If they complain or start trouble I assign chores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Dog training for agility - with 4H and in the back yard Horseback riding - for fun on a friend's pony. We are taking time off from riding lessons because we are working extensively with our dogs currently, but during past summers riding lessons were at least once a week with practice in between. County Nature Summer club which includes hiking, orienteering, and kayaking among other things. He learns so much an loves this club, and it's free! Gardening with his dad Swimming at the pool about 3-4 times a week Continuing ice skating lessons through the summer. It's a great place to stay cool! Lots of reading and visits to the library, though we no longer feel the need to join the summer reading program. The biggest expenses here are the ice skating and pool membership. 4H is $5 a year! We did put out some money for agility equipment for the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Signed up for the library summer reading program. The one around here has boxes that you fill in for time spent reading. More time = more boxes = prizes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 For the summer we'll spend time participating in the library summer reading program at our library. We'll spend a couple of afternoons a week at the pool. My dc play really well together so ds10 will spend time playing with his sisters, especially dd7. The dc, including ds10, will be helping with the garden and the animals. Ds10 is writing a book. He'll practice archery, spend time in his tree house, play legos, nerf, Star Wars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 (edited) My minecraft obsessed just about to be 9 year old (3 weeks away) LOVES to ride his bike. I let him ride on our block alone and it has done wonders for his confidence and independence. It's exciting. He also goes fishing with Grandpa a lot. He ties flies for fly fishing as well. We take him roller skating. My strategy for the lazy days he is not registered for something fun is to plan on being out of the house a couple days a week from 9ish to early afternoon at least and then encourage him to play outside with friends and cousins in the afternoons. By being out of the house, I mean biking together, going on a hike, visiting someone, going swimming at the Y etc. He also has some camps: cub scout, marine biology, baseball skills and 1 other. We are going camping out of town for a bit too. Edited June 3, 2012 by kijipt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Tree swing. With a long rope. Add in a couPle of squirt bottles. My kds especially like the ones they pump to pressurize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyndiLJ Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 We do "School Lite" over the summer, enough to get a couple math lessons done each week, and then more social studies which for us is a lot of fun. Trampoline, church camp for a week, camping at our local state park for a couple weeks here and there, bike riding, tons of water balloon fights, Legos...Legos...Legos, making smoothies and other concoctions, mowing the lawn and a few chores, library trips, reading (all ours are big readers), craft projects like making shirts for the 4th of July, basketball, Wii (not a ton, but we do allow some during the hottest part of the day), racket ball, swimming, get a science experiment book Like "I'll Bet You" and do many of the cool things in that, tree forts, build bike ramps, geocaching, picnics at the swim beach at our lake, work with Dad every once in awhile, make a meal of their choice from start to finish, paint something...anything...furniture or bikes or ?. There always seems to be something to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Gosh, I am trying to think of the things that the boys play at home..... Mine play outside a lot. I keep the yard stocked with lots of outdoor fun stuff like balls and badminton rackets/birdies, but they're just as happy with the hose and the sprinkler or a shovel and a rope and sticks and other stuff they dig out of the garage. They really like to build things. We do summer reading and instrument practice and math or science activities almost every day. I bought a used fort-building book and a survival skills book. They want to try to build a fort and a rope bridge between the two trees in the back yard. We set up the tent in the back yard, and the Legos go out there for most of the summer. They also take sleeping bags, pillows and blankets out. Sometimes they sleep in the tent. Board and card games. Settlers of Catan, Bananagrams, Monopoly Deal are the favorites of the moment. Play with the neighbors. Play in the sprinkler. The neighbors have a pool; we have a big yard with a sprinkler and squirt toys. So we trade water play. :) Sword fighting. (With those soft foam swords. Otherwise they'd use sticks.) Ride bikes and scooters. Blow bubbles at the dog. He likes to chase them. Make cool paper airplanes and other paper toys. http://www.thetoymaker.com/2Toys.html http://www.cubeecraft.com/ We have a garden. They like to help plant and harvest. They like to cook, mostly baking cookies. Because they get to eat them afterwards. I took a bunch of old sheets and blankets and tossed them in a bin for indoor fort-building. At least once a week last summer, they'd build a fort then put together some kind of snack, whether it was cookies or smoothies or just granola and fruit. If they say, "I'm bored," I say, "Oh. Too bad. Hope you find something to do." Or I yammer on with one of those sappy mom things about how being bored leads to creativity until they roll their eyes and go away. :D They are pretty good about finding things to do with their time, as long as I make sure they've got interesting stuff around. HTH. :) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 My 10 year old got ahold of a shovel, found a nice area in the woods to the side of the house and dug a huge pit. He then added a roof made of fallen pieces of tree and a tarp. He build a chair out of sticks and made a table out of some wood he found. He added sticks to the bottom to make a floor. He's working on carving stairs into one end now. We have clay soil so we were pretty impressed to see his pit (it's about 8 ft long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet deep). He also climbs trees, rides his bike, and just generally wanders around thinking. He's an outdoor boy by nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 He spends a lot of time at the pool, and can easily walk or bike there by himself. Sometimes I go with him, but he is allowed to go alone too. He reads. At home here, chores, (more if there are complaints of boredom!), hanging with his neighborhood peeps, trampoline\sprinkler, practicing his two instruments, which fortunately he actually likes to do! He's going to string camp for a week. It's only half a day. He's also going to another 2 week day camp that is biking, archery, swimming, climbing wall, and some arts and crafts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Engino (or zoobs or legos or snap circuits or pounding and drilling crude wooden things in the garage. I think I'm going to have hubby get some junk appliances at Goodwill and have kiddo start tearing them apart this summer.) Books (we started Freddy Goes to Florida last night .... thank you who every mentioned these. We just finished the whole Lemony Snicket series.) I have the boxes of Horrible Histories and Awful Science (or what ever it is called). I also do a summer reading program: cat paw rubber stamps across a map, with a hotwheel at the end of the week if he reads so much. Outdoor time: skateboarding, beach combing, swimming, inexpensive summer events ("Pioneer Days"). Kiddo also gets paid to weed. Art. We are making gruesome paper mache puppet heads this week. Playing with the homeschoolers down the street. They have critters and a big family. My boy is wild about Looney Tunes right now. If he gets the least testy about his time limit, I tell him it is either off without a fuss and find something to do or I'll find something for him (cleaning). This works 99% of the time. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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